The Brian Lehrer Show

Amanda Hess, freelance writer and contributor to Slate was on vacation when she found out about a Twitter account created for the sole purpose of sending her threatening messages. They were bad enough that she was compelled to call the police. The officer who came to her door looked her in the eye and said, “What is Twitter?” As a writer who covers issues of sex and feminism, this is just one of many instances where Hess has received online rape and murder threats. But she says about this type of unwanted attention: “None of this makes me exceptional, it just makes me a woman with an Internet connection” As we learned from our listeners who called in to the show, you don’t have to be a professional writer to be harassed online. The problem is what to do about it once it happens. “Harrassers and people who threaten women," she says, "will try to harass women in a way they think they can get away with by either making their profile anonymous or by talking around the letter of the law to manage to harass someone without making it a criminal threat. And I think the cumulative effect of harassment like that is very real. Women have to deal with a bunch of vile material just in the course of doing their jobs, and there’s not a lot of legal frameworks to remedy that or to discourage it among anonymous trolls.” She also blames the lack of females working in the tech world for a lack of understanding on the issue. When asked what it would change if there were more women in the field, Hess responded: “I think it would change the world.” Read her piece in the Pacific Standard, "Why Women Aren't Welcome on the Internet."

Ted Mann, transportation reporter for The Wall Street Journal's Greater New York section, talks about the latest developments in the story he broke about the politics behind the George Washington Bridge access shut-down. New Jersey Public Radio's Sarah Gonzalez joins him to discuss Governor Chris Christie’s relationships with mayors in New Jersey.  

In his new book,The Baby Boom: How It Got That Way (And It Wasn’t My Fault) (And I’ll Never Do It Again) , author P.J. O'Rourke turns his scathing wit on himself and his demographic cohort -- boomers.  

Andrea Bernstein, metro editor at WNYC News, talks about how the structure of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey contributed to the "Bridgegate" scandal and reform efforts.

Do your political leanings influence how you choose to give? New City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito recently released tax documents that showed she didn't donate any money to charity in 2012. Does that bother you, or are you satisfied that as a liberal politician she does enough to support programs for the poor or other causes that are important to you? Give us a call at 212-433-9692, or leave a comment here to contribute to the discussion.   

In 1964, science fiction writer Isaac Asimov wrote predictions for what life would be like in 2014. Matt Novak, writer of the Paleofuture blog for gizmodo.com, talks about what Asimov got right and wrong, and what it tells us about paleofuturism 50 years later. → Tomorrow, Matt returns to assess your predictions for life in 2064. Start posting them here now. Some of Asimov's 1964 Predictions About 2014  “In 2014, there is every likelihood that the world population will be 6,500,000,000 and the population of the United States will be 350,000,000.” “The screen can be used not only to see the people you call but also for studying documents and photographs and reading passages from books.” “Conversations with the moon will be a trifle uncomfortable, but the way, in that 2.5 seconds must elapse between statement and answer (it takes light that long to make the round trip). Similar conversations with Mars will experience a 3.5-minute delay even when Mars is at its closest.” “The world of A.D. 2014 will have few routine jobs that cannot be done better by some machine than by any human being. Mankind will therefore have become largely a race of machine tenders.” “Much effort will be put into the designing of vehicles with ‘Robot-brains” – vehicles that can be set for particular destinations and that will then proceed there without interference by the slow reflexes of the human driver.”

The New School's new University Center at 14th Street and 5th Avenue opens this month. David Van Zandt, president of The New School, talks about the building's big staircase and what it means for the university's seven institutions, including the School for Social Research and Parsons School for Design.

Chris Christie has plenty of fires to put out in New Jersey, but does he still have national appeal? Maggie Haberman, senior political reporter for POLITICO, takes a national look at Chris Christie and discusses the weekend's other political headlines as the House returns to Washington.

Friday afternoon saw a new batch of emails related to the so-called "Bridgegate" scandal and Chris Christie's involvement. Matt Katz, New Jersey Public Radio reporter, discusses the latest information, and its impact on Gov. Christie's national standing, and how other New Jersey mayors have run afoul of the governor. .@mattkatz00 says new emails show a lot about damage control after bridge closing, but lots of questions still linger about who planned it. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 13, 2014

Governor Christie is the latest politician to apologize publicly -- did he do it right? Lauren Bloom gives him a C minus. The author of Art of the Apology: How, When, and Why to Give and Accept Apologies offers tips on how to make up when you've screwed up. Plus, play our famous political apologies quiz at the bottom of the page! Seven Rules for Apologizing Well It's Not About You. Bloom says Christie started out well, but then committed the cardinal sin of making the apology all about him and his problems. Stick to the hurt you've caused, to the hurt the hurt has caused you. Be Sincere. Bloom says "it's the essence of an apology." Don't Lie. If You Did, Apologize Twice. If you've lied, making a sincere apology makes it incredibly difficult. But if it has happened, be sure to apologize both for what you did in the first place and for lying about it. Don't Demand Forgiveness. "Forgiveness is a gift," she says, and not necessary for an apology to be effective. An apology is something you owe, but they don't necessarily owe you anything back. You Have To Care. "Compassion is the essence of an apology. It's reaching out and telling people that you understand."  Wait Before You Apologize. "Take time to think about it, and why you are really sorry.” That will make your apology specific and heartfelt. I'm sorry you feel that way... I'm sorry if... I'm sorry but... Just don't even go there. Are you famous? If you find yourself in a place where a public apology is necessary, apologize both publicly and privately. The public apology may be broad, but also be sure to go apologize about the more particular thing in private to the people you've hurt. And tell the public that you've made the private apology -- "It's easier for the public to accept an apology if they know a private apology has also been made." Good luck! 

Richard Gottfried, New York State Assembly Member (D-75th District) and Assembly Health Chair, explains Gov. Cuomo's plan to legalize limited medical marijuana use in New York State and outlines his plan, which is slightly different.

Mike Kelly, columnist at The Bergen Record, and New Jersey Public Radio's Matt Katz and Nancy Solomon discuss the latest in the George Washington Bridge closure scandal one day after Gov. Chris Christie's public apology. How every NJ paper covered Christie this morning (with NY tabs thrown in for good measure) via @jodyavirgan pic.twitter.com/uXysBtKPY2 — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 10, 2014

Today's jobs report shows 74,000 added jobs, and a drop in the unemployment rate -- but also a persistent problem of "discouraged workers" dropping out of the workforce entirely after searching for jobs. Justin Wolfers, University of Michigan economist and currently a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, discusses the trend, and helps take your long-term unemployment stories.

Jim O'Grady and Stephen Nessen, WNYC Reporters, and Jenny Ye, WNYC data news producer, discuss WNYC's series "Life in the Middle," which is exploring five NYC neighborhoods where the median income reflects the city's median income.  

New York State Senator Dean Skelos (R-9th, Nassau County), temporary senate president and majority coalition leader (R, C, IP), reacts to the governor's speech and talks about the next legislative session.   After yesterday's State of the State, @senatorskelos called @NYGovCuomo "a good moderate Republican." At 10am I'll ask Skelos what he meant. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 9, 2014 "I don't believe in taxing just to tax," @SenatorSkelos tells @BrianLehrer on other funding options for @BilldeBlasio pre-K plan — Emily Ngo (@epngo) January 9, 2014